Charles James Sander

Private Charles James Sander – Somerset Light Infantry, 3^rd Battalion

Early Life

Charles James Sander was born in 1888, the son of Charles Alexander Sander and Gwenny Baker, who had married in 1883.

1891 Census

At the time of the 1891 Census, the family was living at 93 Ashley Vale, United Parishes of St. James and St. Paul, Barton Regis. Charles Alexander, aged 29, was employed as a wholesale draper’s assistant, while Gwenny, aged 25, managed the home. Their children were Gwenny Mary, 6; Agnes Dora, 4; Charles James, 3; William Francis, 1; and Ada Barrie, 1 month. Also in the household was their servant, Margaret Emily Corne, 22.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the Sander family had moved to 5 Gorse Terrace, Swansea. Charles, now 39, was established as a tobacconist, owning his own business. Gwenny was 37, and their children were Gwenny, 16; Charles James, 13; William F., 11; Ada Bessie, 10; Jane, 7; Bessie S., 3; and Clement A., 2. The family employed two sisters as servants, Mennie Vicery, 18, and Jessie C. Vicery, 15.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family was living at 1 Wind Street, Swansea, where the tobacconist business continued. Charles Alexander, aged 49, was recorded as the business owner, and Gwenny was 47. Children at home included Charles James, 23, working as an assistant in the business; Mary Jane, 17; Bessie A., 13; and Clement Alan, 12. The family also employed Frances Stock, 22, as a servant.

Marriage and Military Service

In May 1916, Charles James married Elsie Francis of 39a Balaclava Street, Swansea, at St. David’s Church.

Charles also enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry, 3^rd Battalion, serving as a private during the First World War.

Death and Burial

Charles James Sander
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Only two months after his marriage, Charles James Sander died on the 12^th of May 1916. He was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea.

South Wales Daily Post

His funeral was reported in the South Wales Daily Post. The service was conducted by his brother, Father Benedict Sander, adding a deeply personal element to the solemn ceremony.

Legacy

The life of Private Charles James Sander is marked by both personal joy and tragedy — his marriage, full of promise for the future, took place just weeks before his death. His story also highlights Swansea’s vibrant commercial life before the war, as the son of a family tobacconist business, who left that life behind to serve his country.

C. A. Sander
Christmas Advert
Cambria Daily Leader

The Sander family’s tobacconist shop on Wind Street was a familiar local business in Swansea, remembered by many residents of the period. Charles’s decision to step away from the family trade and enlist reflects the wider wartime story of ordinary men whose civilian skills and livelihoods were set aside in favour of military service. His grave at Danygraig, together with the press accounts of his funeral, ensure that his name and his family’s presence in Swansea are remembered as part of the city’s Great War history.